


maybe this time

by Cloudnine101



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Insecure Lucifer, Pining, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 06:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6228073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloudnine101/pseuds/Cloudnine101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"You could stay, you know, if you were so inclined." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Chloe holds onto the banister. "What?" </em>
</p><p> </p><p>(Post 1x07)</p>
            </blockquote>





	maybe this time

Lucifer's got a black eye. It's bruising up, the smear surrounding it. Chloe's seen enough black eyes to know that one's going to sting. He says he got it in a fight with his brother. Chloe wants to know how, but knows better by now than to ask - she won't be answered, or if she it'll be another joke. Lucifer's always laughing - at other people, at her, at himself. It's how he goes along.

There's a cloud of cigarette smoke around his head. Lucifer's hand rests on the piano. The lights catch the shoulders of his suit, turning them white and blue. Lucifer's smile is so hesitant - it creeps out unexpectedly, when he thinks she isn't looking.

Chloe isn't stupid. Lucifer's charming and funny, and yes, sue her, attractive. She wants him. Lucifer's cigarette is in-between two of his fingers. He's talking about losing his wings. Chloe thinks about them - spread wide and white. They were beautiful, and now he's claiming that they didn't matter. How could they not? They mattered to Chloe, and she only saw them for a _second_.

There's a sort of gap between them, still, but it's a gap that's closing. Chloe wants to know more about Lucifer. She wants to know where he goes when he's upset. She wants to know his favourite book, and what he listens to, and where he eats. Sometimes, that's all she wants. And sometimes, she wants his hand on her back and his breath in her ear.

Lucifer turns to look at her, shifting in his seat. Chloe hears a car go by in the street. It sounds far away. There's something peculiar about Lucifer's eyes. Normally, Chloe thinks they're brown - maybe grey. Now, they seem almost closer to blue. There's some kind of condition to do with that, but Chloe can't bring the name of it to mind.

Lucifer's shoulder rubs against her own. His hand on the piano, the hand with the signet ring, presses downward. He plays one chord, and then another. Chloe smiles. Lucifer is unguarded here, almost, but there is still the facade. What does she have to do to make him trust her? Is there anything she can do? Lucifer brings the cigarette to his mouth, on the opposite side to her, and inhales. The corner of his lip curls. He glances at her sideways.

"Something on your mind?" he asks.

Chloe swallows down a retort. It won't help. She doesn't know what she should say. He wouldn't want to hear what she wants - for them to spend time together, more and more time, until she's his first choice as well, just like he is hers. That's the most frightening part. If it had been physical - it would have been different. Lucifer had asked for that, and she'd turned him down. Chloe had certain it was the right decision. Lucifer puts down the cigarette. The tip of it smoulders; a few of the embers scatter down onto the keys. Lucifer wipes them away with his hand. His knuckles are smeared with sand. He isn't meeting her eye, throat working.

"You," Chloe says, and she almost fights down a laugh - because this is ridiculous, really, as much as it's pathetic. Lucifer's a grown man, and she's a grown woman. There's no reason for them to be skirting around this - whatever's growing between them, whatever you want to call it - and yet here she is, wavering. She forces herself to speak. "How did you get to be like this?"

"With great difficulty." Lucifer's mouth quirks upwards. It isn't quite a grimace. "I've made a lot of poor choices." He gapes, slightly, as though he's realised or something, or hadn't meant to overhear something personal. The expression is gone in a moment.

Lucifer's wrist is alongside hers. Chloe reaches across and touches it. The car has circled back around and is reposing them, or perhaps it's a different car altogether. Chloe doesn't know. "We've all done that," she says.

Lucifer snorts. "Well," he says, "I'm glad to here I'm not the only one."

He hasn't changed, exactly, from when the first met. Chloe hadn't hated him. She'd come close to it. But then he'd always do something - something unexpected - that sent her reeling. And there'd been that wonderful feeling, creeping into her - even if they didn't get along, he wanted her, wanted to be around her, spent his every waking hour trying to be with her. Isn't that the most exciting thing? Chloe breathes in Lucifer's smoke. Lucifer's eyes are fixed on her.

"I should be going," Lucifer says. He stands quickly, pushing back the stool. Chloe has to move with him, or else fall off. Lucifer's hands waver by his side. Chloe takes the initiative and hugs him. It lasts for all of five seconds - ten, at a stretch. Lucifer's arms encircle her. He's stronger than she is. Chloe allows herself to be raised upwards a little before planting her feet down. Lucifer releases his hold. His face is soft - his eyes are gentle, and grey again. "Goodnight, Detective."

"Goodnight, Lucifer." Chloe steps away. She considers waving and cringes. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Lucifer salutes her, smirking. Chloe feels herself grinning, grinning stupidly, and hurries off towards the door before she can embarrass herself further. Back at him, no doubt, she'll end up analysing every detail and sobbing over it like a frustrated teenager. She must be blushing already. Lucifer calls something after her, but Chloe's halfway up the stairs before she hears.

"You could stay, you know, if you were so inclined."

Chloe holds onto the banister. "What?"

Lucifer's eyes shift away from her. That manic smile's playing across his face. "You could stay," he says, "and I promise not to do anything disagreeable. Deal?" The smile won't fade, Chloe realises, even if she refuses. He'll keep up the act. He cares - she knows he does. She just has to make him show it.

Chloe turns around. She goes back downstairs. Lucifer's waiting on the landing. His suit lapels are rumpled. Chloe faces him. He's stubbed out the cigarette. Chloe smiles at him, as gently as he can. She can't think of a single thing to say. Lucifer watches her. His mouth opens and shuts. Chloe rests her hand on his arm. Lucifer's head angles towards her, almost unconsciously, it appears. Lucifer's mouth opens again.

There's the clattering of a tray. Lucifer springs backwards. Chloe cranes her neck towards the balcony, the tingling that had been spreading in her fingers dying away. The woman Lucifer works with - lives with - Mazikeen, Maze - is glaring daggers at them. Chloe flushes abruptly. This is worse than being caught making out with Dan in the high school gymnasium by the first years.

"Don't you have something to be doing?" Lucifer calls upwards. It's a small consolation that he seems almost as annoyed as Chloe is. Chloe does her level best not to let out her laughter. It'd probably be hysterical. "Anything else at all?"

With a toss of her head, Maze disappears backwards. Chloe can imagine her there. She almost melts into the wallpaper and the faded tables. Maze is a beautiful woman, and, apparently, and envious one - envious of Chloe? The thought is almost inane. Chloe checks it before it can grow into satisfaction. She tries to, anyway.

Lucifer turns back to her. "What was I saying?" he asks.

Chloe shakes her head. "Nothing," she says. Instead of talking any more, she folds her hand around his. Lucifer's fingers are cool. Chloe thinks about rubbing heat into them. "Nothing important." And she leads him onto the sofa.


End file.
